Rules Question Thread

[Big Al]

Any unit in Mixed Formation, when shot at from the front, is treated as if it was a Skirmish unit (-1 to hit). It is not a +1 to the morale save.
I don’t believe that applies to artillery anymore, though. The rules for skirmishers in BP2 have changed and the Skirmish screen no longer has an effect unless it is within 12 inches of the artillery.

[Marecki]

Thanks for reply. So, if artillery fire at attack column with skirmish screen, it doesn’t get +1 to hit because its Mixed Formation not Attack Column? Am I correct?

[Marecki]

And what about when Mixed formation is charged. Skirmishing troops go back to the column and unit is count as attack column with 3+ morale save?

[Big Al]

Yes, Attack Column gives the unit a morale save of 3+ and that is all. At longer range, skirmishers are no longer “cannon ball catchers” which they were in V1.

Yes. When the Attack Column is charged to its front the charging unit moves up to the skirmishers. They then move back into the ranks and the chargers move the rest of their move into the attack column. This is an important point because the charge distance may have been misjudged and the unit might not make it. There’s little excuse for this because you can premeasure, but a player might get a little over enthusiastic.
Yes, the Attack Column gets the 3+ save in the ensuing combat.

[Mark Stanoch]

Is mounting/dismounting infantry condidered a formation change?

[Big Al]

Yes. Mounting or dismounting is definitely a change of formation. They have basically changed from cavalry to infantry.

[Goggy]

I have two questions please.

When cavalry come withing 12” of infantry, must the infantry immediately form square whether they are being charged or not?

When using the rule about not being able to shoot if you move more than once, does this apply to horse artillery. I thought it did as otherwise horse artillery could in theory limber, move three times, unlimber and fire, which seems a bit too powerful.

[Big Al]

The answer to the first question is clearly stated in the rulebook. The infantry only need to form square if the front of the unit is charged by cavalry and the infantry has the Must Form Square Special Rule (basically all Napoleonic infantry). It doesn’t have to form square at any other time. Indeed, if it is charged in the rear or flank, it cannot form square.
If cavalry are within 12 inches, the infantry doesn’t have to form square, though it might be advisable to order it into square, or make it do so on Initiative.
Once the infantry is in square, it cannot change that formation while the s enemy cavalry within 12 inches.

I don’t use that particular supplement rule. I think it is too vague. I might be wrong, but I believe it was designed to stop units making three moves of 12 or 18 inches and still shooting. Whereas changing formation or limbering and unlimbering would not be as great an issue.
In answer to your question, though, yes it would apply. Not because of the limbering and unlimbering, but because of the three moves that the artillery makes.
Some people think that the limbering and unlimbering in the same turn makes horse artillery too powerful, but I think that they overlook the balance provided by the fragility of the unit (only 1 stamina). That means that as soon as it takes a single casualty, it can no longer advance on the enemy for the rest of the game because that casualty can never be rallied off. The HA remains shaken for the rest of the game and becomes practically useless.
So, moving it three moves and still able to fire is not as powerful as you seem to think, really!

[Goggy]

Many thanks for the prompt answers Big Al. I thought that was how the square activation worked, I just wanted to make sure I was correct.
With regard to the horse artillery question. At our club we do use the (Napoleonic supplement) rule of (infantry) units only being able to fire as long as they move just the once, it seems appropriate for that period. For horse artillery I never had a problem with them limbering, moving once, unlimbering and then firing, but I felt that horse artillery being able to limber, move three times (54″), unlimber and shoot was a bit much.
However you do make a very valid point about the fragility of the unit, which makes the whole thing more acceptable I suppose.
Thanks again.

[Dr Dave]

I never understood the HA stamina 1 value. Same guns, same limbers, same number – just that the gunners are mounted. Certainly in the GA acw supplement they are all stamina 2, but there’s no limbering AND unlimbering in the same turn – IIRC.

[Big Al]

I think it was for balance. You allow them to do something akin to what they were reported to do, but in game terms that can be very powerful, so you temper it by adding in the fragility, which makes people think about their use or suffer the consequences. The latter is something that I find a lot of players ignore, then they start changing rules. Often, there is no need.

[Bert]

Hi
To be sure :
Can a commander move independently of his successful or failed order?

[Charge The Guns]

Hi Bert. If he has issued a Rally or Follow-Me order, successful or not, then he has to join the unit given the order. Otherwise he is free to moves as he wants at the end of the order phase. p34/5 for Rally and Follow-me, and p39 for moving commanders.

[Big Al]

The only thing to add to Charge the Gun’s Answer is that the commander that issues the “follow me” order moves to join the unit and then moves the three moves with the unit he has ordered. You don’t have to say what the unit is doing, you just do it and the commander goes with it. Well, he is leading them.

[Bert]

However
Follow me order say :

“If the result is a failure the the unit does not move, and the Brigade commander cannot move that turn either having failed to reach the troops be intenteded to lead…etc”

Rally order say :

“If the result is a failure the the unit does not move, and the Brigade commander cannot move that turn either..etc”

[Author]

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